Apparatus for securing and bracing articles for transportation



Oct. 11, 1932. A, L, MANNING 1,881,788.

APPARATUS FOR SECURING AND BRACING ARTICLES FOR TRANSPORTATION Filed July 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '2? 26 i 3 Hr, 27 z; ,20

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APPARATUS FOR SECURING AND BRAGING ARTICLES FOR TRANSPORTATION Patented Oct. 11, 1932 warren STATES PATENT oFFlcsj.

ARTHUR LIONELMANNIN'G, or OAK rank, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR r0 wns'rnnn EIiEornI'o COMPANY, INCORPORATED, or new YORK, N. Y., A oonrona rron or nnw yon r r APPARATUS FOR SECURING Ann Ba oInc AR ICLES I'oR' 'IRAnsron'rA'rIon 7 Application filed July 24, 1928. Serial No. 295,093.

This invention relates toan apparatus for securing and bracing articles for transportation, and more particularly to an apparatus for securing for transportation as a substan: tially unitary mass a group of articles.

This invention is particularly applicable to the shipping of completely assembled loading coils used in connection with telephone systems. This type of coil is mounted in a comparatively heavy upright iron case having projecting from its upper end cover a flexible, coiled cable stub which at its inner end is integrally united with the coil sealed in. the case, the outer end of the cable stub being connected with the telephone circuit at the point of. installation to which the loading coil is transported from the manufacturer. In the shipment of coils of this type the problem has been to provide a method and means offering a maximum protection to the coils from injury and damage during transit to the actual point of installation, which is economical to use and permits thecoils to be handled in a facile manner eitherin their loading upon or unloading from the means of t-ransportatio'n. The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for securing and bracing. articles for transportation which is simple, effective and economical and which may 'be easily and quickly constructed. x V

In accordance with one embodiment the invention, asemi-circular bracket,'having bifurcated ends'whichare attached to and arranged within the circumference of the cover of the coil case, surrounds the greater portion of and s'upportsthe coiled cable stub in a fixed relation to the case. The bifurcated ends of the bracket'are fixed to the coil case at four points by bolts used in securing the cover to the case along with four remov-; able lugs which project from the periphery of the cover and cooperate with loops of steel strapping to secure the coil case to a Wooden skid. A plurality of coilsindividually protected' and mounted in the hereinbefore described manner are banded together to form a substantially unitary mass by a plurality of horizontal steel straps encircling them. Also lengths of steel strapping are arranged to encircle certain of the skids anda common horizontal wooden member whichspansandk' rests upon theseveral covers, whereb'ymel ative movement of the individual coils with-i in the banded unit is substantially -elimi-. natedand any movement of the unit-as a Whole upon the fioor of a car or other means of transportation is reducedto' a. minimum. Other objects and advantages of themvention will more fully appear from 'thefollowing detailed description taken-inco'nnection with the accompanying drawings which I illustrate one embodiment thereof, inwhi'ch Fig. 7 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of. a carrier. loaded with a plurality of articles assembled in multi-group formation, each group assembled and secured toformarsub' stantially unitary mass in accordance with thefeatures of this invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail plan view of pine of the groups of articles illustrated in 1g.1; A Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof, "partly in section; I I I Fig. 4 is afragmentary end elevation look-v ing toward the right end-of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View, partly in section, taken on the line 55' of Fig. 2;

Referring to the drawings in detail where in like reference numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several viewsvsandin which the features of this inventiona-re illustrated as applied to the securing and bracing of loading coils of thetype'hereinbefore described for transportation, and particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, there is shown a group 10 of loading coils,'each coil being mountedin a comparatively heavy upright iron case 11. Although the group 10 OfiCOlI cases 11 is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and in Fig.1, whichillustrates a plurality of groups'10 mounted on a carrier 12, for instance, a railroadfreight car or a motor truck, as comprising three coils, it .will be apparent that the number of coils comprising a unitary group "may vary, depending on the space provided-on the transportation means, the size of the'individ ual article to be included in a group or other consideratlons. r r 1 l Each coil case 11 1s mounted on 'anundlvidual wooden skid 13 comprising spaced be square or rectangular, adjacent the bottom surface thereof is a raised continuous guard rail 16 comprising four straight memg bers attached to the outer portion of the floor extending outside of the periphery 'of the case, the inner vertical faces of the rail members contacting with the peripheral surface of the case at four points, thus prevent-- 'ing lateral movement of the case upon the skid floor 1.5. As clearly illustrated in Figs; 2 and 3 the width oftherunnerslt is greater than that of the guard rail 16, particularly those members thereof which extend parallel thereto, so thattheweight of the case 11 at two diametrically opposite points is directly supported on the runners with the skid floor 15' intermediate. 7 Ii Projecting upwardly from an upper end cover 20 of the case 11 at one side is'a flexible coiled cable stub 21 which at its inner end is integrally united with the coil sealed in the case and which due to its flexibility should be maintained in a fixed relation with respect to the case, otherwise it would be liable to become damaged in transit. The cable stub 21 is supported on a semi-circular metallic bracket 22, which is arranged within the diameter of the cover 20 for a purpose which will hereinafter be. referred to. The opposite ends of the bracket 22 are bifurcated and provided with a pair of outwardly extending feet 23 (Fig. 5) spaced to correspond with the spacing between adjacent bolts 24 provided for securing the cover 20 to the coil case 11. It is desirable that the bracket 22 be attachable to the case 11 and removable therefrom without loosening the securing 7 bolts which might disturb aseal 25 (Fig. 5)

between the cover 20 and the case 11. This is accomplished byv providing at predetermined'diametrically opposite points with respect to the cover 20' a pair of bolts 26 of extra length; four in all, one' of' which is clearly illustrated in detail in Fig. 5. Sun rounding each of the nuts threaded on the extra length b'olts'26 is a collar 27 which extends slightly above the top ofthe nut and upon each ofthe collars is positioned a lug 28 which extends radially outside the periphery ofthe cover 20, the purpose of which will presently be described. The bracket 22 is then mounted in position with the feet 23 thereof, which are apertured, threaded over the four bolts 26 and thereafter clamped with the lugs 28 against the collar 27 It will be apparent that the bracket 22 can thus be readily attached to and detached from the case 11 without disturbing the original securing ofthe cover 20 to the case-11. After the mounting of the bracket 22 the cable stub 21 is coiled to fit the inside surface of the semi-circular portion of the bracket and then tied thereto by a binding 29 0f burlap or other suitable material.

The assemblage comprising the coil case.

11 with the'integrally attaching cable stub 21 and its supporting bracket which is of reater height than width is securely bound to the skid '13 by vertical loops of steel strap ping '30, tightened and clamped in a well known manner, one strap passing around each of thelugs 28 and the projectin portions of the runners-14t as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The bottom surface of each of the runners" 14' is provided with a groove 31 (Fig. 3) for the purpose of'predeterminedly positioning the straps with respect to the runners and to present a comparatively smooth lower surface on the runners to the floor of the carrier or other support, and to 13 on its support, the outer lower cornersjof the runners 14 are rounded or beveled in a well known manner. I This'com'pletes the description of the method and means'for securing for transportation an individual loading coil with its coiled cable stub, 21 in fixed relation with the coil case 11 to an individual supporting skid 13. v

The loading coilsare individually secured and bracedin the. manner her-ei'nbefore de scribed ina-shipping room'or warehouse and then conveyed: to the carrier 12 (Fig. 1) where they are finally arranged in two rows lengthwise of: the carrier, and in groups 10, of two, three, fouror five,'depending on the number and size of thejcoils to be transported. The skids 13 are all arranged so thatthe runners 14 thereof extend crosswise on the carrier floor with the opposed longi tudinal faces of the runners within each group substantially in abutting relation.

Each group 10 of coils issecurely boundjin one direction into a substantially unitary mass or group by a plurality of horizontal lengths of steel strapping 35, two straps adjacent thetop and two'the bottom encircling ber of coils to be bound into'a group 10. The

straps 35 are tightened and clamped in a manner similar to that employed in securing the individual'coil to its skid 13 by means of the straps 30, and the straps 35 are prevented from moving-on the blocks 36 after being tightened by means of staples 37spanning the straps and driven into the blocks.

The group of coils is also bound in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of the horizontal straps by a pair of vertically extending steel straps 38 encircling the end skids 13 of the group and a horizontal wooden member 41 which spans and rests upon the several covers 20 of'the cases 11.

As clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 0p posite portions of the straps 38 extenddownwardly from the member 41 behind the upper pair of straps 35 and the loopetl strapping 30, outside of the lower pair of straps 35 and then under thefloor 15 of the skid 13. The member 41 comprises two lengths of board nailed together after wooden blocks 42 are nailedto the bottom surface of thelower board by nails driven from the top surface be understood that the member 41 with the attached blocks is in position when the horizontally extending straps35 are tightened and clamped as hereinbefore described. The straps 38 are prevented from moving on the 5 member 41 after being clamped by the use of staples 43 spanning the straps 38 and driven into the member 41. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that during transportation of the coils on the carrier 12 or other transportation means relative movement of the individual coils within a group 10 thereof is substantially eliminated and upon the carrier 12 being subjected to sudden jars or jolts each group will shift independently upon the carrier floor, since the groups are not attached thereto and the force imparted to the group, due to the sudden jolt, is checked only by the inertia of its own weight. Thus each coil with its cable stub 21 extending from the upper end of the case 11 is fully protected from damage during transit since the coils within the group cannot move againsteach other or the coils within another group and any movement of a group thereof upon the carrier is reduced to a minimum. 7

Upon the loaded carrier 12 reaching its destination the coils may be readily removed therefrom, individually, after cutting the horizontal and vertical straps 35 and 38, respectively, used in the securing of a plurality of coils into the group 10. After being.

removed from the carrier an individual coil still bound to its skid 13 may be transported to its actual point of installation or removed therefrom, depending on the distance to'be traveled to its point of installation, the type of carrier or other considerations. The

bracket 22 is: preferably maintained. on the case 11 for protecting the cable stub21 until the coil has reached its point OfinstallatiOn. In some installations the coils are lowered into. manholes, the entrance diameter of which is substantiallythat of the case 11, for

connection to air-underground conduit, in which case aftercutting the looped strappings '30 to releasethe coil from its. skid 13, the lugs 28' are rotated on the bolts 26 to bring their outer ends within the circumference of the coil case 11' by striking them with a hammer; This movement of the-lugs 28 and the subsequent loweringof the coil into the manhole may be'accomplished without the removal of the bracket 22, since no por- I tion thereof extends beyond the circumference of the case 11. lifter being used the skids13, brackets 22 andrlugs 28 maybe returned tothe manufact'urerfor furtheriuse.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the {shippingof a partied lar article, it'is clear'that'itmay have a more general application, and that modifications can be made without departing from the spirit'and scope/of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. I1ran apparatus for securing for trans-' portation anarticle having a greater height than width, a supportfor the article having a plurality of spaced portions extending be+ yond the periphery thereof, a plurality of removable lugs'arranged around and secured to the upper end face. of thearticle and ex tending slightly beyond the periphery thereof, and a plurality of looped flexible means applied under tension extending individual ly around and from one of the lugs to and around one of the spaced extending portions of the support beyond the periphery of the article.

2. In an apparatus for securing for trans portation, a'cylindrical assemblage having a flexible portion extending from the upper end surface of the main body of the assem blage, a removable member extending around and supporting the fiexibleportion, the mem ber having bifurcated ends which are at- V tached to the adjacent end face of the main body of the assemblage, the member at all portions disposed within the circumference of the assemblage. 1

3. In an apparatus for securing for transportation an article having an integral flexible portion extending from the upper end of the main body of the article, a removable loop member extending around and supporting the flexible portion of the article, the loop member having bifurcated ends with the furcations thereof extending angularly to the adjacent end of the article and at tached thereto.

4. In an apparatus for securing for trans portation an assemblage having a greater height than width and provided with a portionextending from the upper end of the main body thereof, a support for the assemblage extending beyond the periphery thereof, a removable member extending around and supporting the outer end of the extending portion and attached at its ends, together with a plurality of lugs, to the adjacent end of the main body of the assemblage, and a plurality of tension vmembers extending from the lugs to portions of the support extending beyond the periphery of the assemblage.

5. In an apparatus for preparing for transportation a loading coil'having a'cable stub projecting from its upper end, a slidingbase adapted to receive the coil and extending beyond the periphery thereof, means for securing the coil to the base, and a looped men1- ber removably secured to the upper end of .20 the coil and adapted to confine the cable stub within the lateral extent of the coil. 6. In an apparatus in preparing for transportation a heavy loading coil, a sliding base of greater lateral extent than the coil, a plurality of lugs pivoted to the upper surface of the coil and having portions normally extending beyond the periphery thereof but movable to a position Within said periphery, and tension members extending from said portions to the sliding base to secure the coil rigidly to the base.

In Witness 'WllfiI'GOf, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of July A. D., 1928. ARTHUR LIONEL MANNING. 

